Congressman Continues to Hide from Media to Avoid Answering Questions on Putin
Charlotte – Seventeen days ago, sitting Congressman and US Senate candidate Ted Budd filed for the US Senate and tried to avoid the media in doing so. Unfortunately for Budd, one journalist was there to ask Budd what he thought of Vladimir Putin. Budd responded by calling Putin “very intelligent”…twice.
That interview, coupled with a Fox News appearance in which Budd excused Putin’s invasion and subsequent investigations into Budd’s “friendly toward Russia” voting record, has led to the total collapse of the Budd campaign played out in real-time over the last three weeks.
A constant flood of national and in-state stories has detailed the rapid decline of the campaign due to Budd’s pro-Putin comments. The McCrory campaign’s first ad has shifted the entire narrative of the campaign. Polling has shown Budd in a free-fall. And Budd is adding to that collapse by hiding from North Carolina journalists, refusing to answer their questions or sit for any in-state interviews since the February 28th interview at his filing.
“US Senators don’t get to hide from the voters, run from the media, avoid debates, and refuse to answer tough questions,” said McCrory strategist Jordan Shaw. “They also don’t get to compliment our enemies or call Putin ‘intelligent’ while he’s killing women and children. Budd’s ‘friendly toward Russia’ voting record, reckless Putin-praising statements, and unwillingness to answer questions prove that he’s not ready to win this race or be a US Senator.” While Budd is trying to hide behind tens of millions of dollars from his DC funders, journalists should make every effort to find him in the halls of Congress and ask him the tough questions he’s trying so hard to avoid.
